I just started skating again 3 weeks ago. I am 48, overweight and very out of shape. But I looove skating. But it is killing my right knee. What can I do to help support my knee so I can keep skating? I am not ready to quit! Hoping it is just a matter of time before the pain stops. I skate every weekend for 2-4 hours and then spend the next week miserable. I am currently on a heating pad.

Definitely get it checked out by a doctor. It would help to know how to treat it best.

This may sound crazy, but I'd recommend a chiropractor, get in good alignment. Sometimes they have SUPER VALUABLE advice. I was heating my sore joint, but it turns out it needed to be iced! Weird, right? I've actually found chiropractors more helpful than traditional doctors, BUT MY INJURIES WERE NOT SERIOUS.

Also, I'd recommend taking Glucosamine with Chondrointin (it's a pill). It helps lubricate joints. That recommendation came from my dad who is 77years old and still completes at downhill skiing. He snowboards, windsurfs, inline skates, roller skates, ice skates and recently started freeline skating. He's my hero. 77 years old!

I noticed that when I went from inline skating, to roller skating, that my knees bothered me a bit at first too, but eventually they stopped hurting. I'm not sure why though. I hope you get some good advice here. I'm not a doctor, however, I'm sure there will be better advice. If you need time to recover, don't worry, just take your time.

Thank you! Glucosamine is a great suggestion! I will also make an appointment with my doc. I do think it is just my body wondering what the heck I am doing exercising! LOL My brain and heart love it. My body, not so much...yet. Hoping it gets better over time. As for the chiropractor, I have an irrational fear of them, so I will skip that step! LOL

But thank you!! I may try wrapping it if I attempt skating today. Walking is proving challenging today.

There is more that one sort of knee issue but, for me, short, quick toe pushes are bad for my knees. Well executed heal pushes are fine. It's another reason to use better form. That is what I would start with. Work on improving form because the general rule is: if it hurts, you are doing something wrong.

The first thing is to avoid it getting worse. Not skating is not an option, that just hides the issue. But donít skate till itís worse either. Take a a break when needed. I wouldnít in your case favor the other leg for a bit just sit one out. Iíve lost almost 30 poinds since I started twice and thrice a week skating regularly. It will all come togther.

Derrick is right: not skating is not an option.
I'm skinny as a rail, but even so, if I am inactive for a while, I notice ligament strains when I use muscle groups and ligaments that have been idle for a while.

With knees, it depends on where it hurts (front, sides, under the patella/knee cap).
Likely just straining connective tissue (hopefully not, and less likely, a tear).

I'm 62, and have been taking chondroitin and glucosamine supplements. (like Oicusk8huh recommended). I get a liquid version at Costco.

Thanks for the great info. I am quad skating in a rink with concrete floors. I have done both quad and inline in the past, but definitely preferred quad and still do. I have no intentions of quitting, I just don't want to hurt myself either. I think it is more sore muscles then a joint problem. Each week I get better a little quicker. I have a desk job and just getting up after sitting for a bit is torture. But once up, as long as I keep moving I feel better.

I agree with everything everybody has been saying. I think I do all of the above, but a equipment change or adjustment might be needed.

You might think about changing the adjustment on your quad skates. If the trucks are two tight they can be tough or extra hard on the knees. If you can still skate on looser/wobbly trucks that could help take strain off the knees.

If you can loosen up the ďtruckĒ action or how your skates turn, this can take some strain off your knees, trying to force your knees to bend or push your weight around because your skates donít turn as easily as you push, can be extra tough on the knees.

2) Personally I eat a steak every night and I think the Food/Steak helps rejuvenate the sore knees, more than just about everything else you can eat.

3) Plenty of rest and getting off the sore knees is vital. Your body/knees need as much rest as they can possibly get. Get off your legs and rest them as much as you can.

4 Since you only skate on the weekends for 2-4 hours, maybe you need to skate a little less, like maybe only 1-2 hours so it is not as hard on your knees until they get stronger.

5) Personally I started skating last year after a 40 year lay off and I my legs hurt everyday. I could barely walk, but I continued to skate every day. Sometimes I could barely walk and I would have to stop skating for a whole month, barely being able to walk because my knees hurt so bad. I was a ďcrippleĒ. I walked like somebody 90 years old.

6) Because I am retired, I can rest as much as I want and I can skate as much as I like. After one year, my legs are getting stronger and I skate everyday for 3-4 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Eating well, losing weight, skating only as much as the body can take and resting well and staying off my feet when not skating, as well as having skates and boots that are adjusted to take as much strain off the legs are vitally important.

I even think skating backwards and using other muscles in the legs and around the knee joints is vital in reducing the fatigue in the legs after skating.

Understanding knee pain is the first step
The knee is where the muscles of the lower and upper legs are attached, by ligament and tendon, the ligaments and tendons are simply holding the muscles, they must be stretched and strengthened slowly over time, when you start up a new strenuous activity, you have to give the tendons and ligaments time to catch up with the muscles, meaning, the muscles have great blood flow, and recover quickly, unlike the ligaments and tendons.
Before skating, loosening the muscles is a good start, I use a roller from trigger point, I roll my hips and the outside of the upper leg (the IT band) and especially my shins, I kneel on the sucker and roll ten times, itís pleasurely painful.
I also rub arnica gel into the muscles, all this after a session in the hot tub, so when Iím actually exercising, the muscles are all ready, I simply need to remember what they do, snowboard, bike, skate, etc.
Some ibuprofen before isnít addictive, but donít mask real pain, recover a day or so before continuing, if it takes two or three months to get comfortable on skates without lots of pain, so be it

Yeah, I thought about it later, and was going to edit out that part about not stopping.
It was clear that you weren't thinking along those lines.

As the consensus seems to point to, probably just a matter of getting your knees used to it, over time.

Most of the time, in my experience, it can change pretty quickly once the body starts to adapt.

The main thing is (again from my experience), not injuring your tendons or ligaments. As usrle noted, they change more slowly than muscles, and if injured, take much longer to heal. Let the degree of discomfort be a guide.

Make an appointment with a podiatrist. Your knee pain may be caused by something as simple as needing arch supports. A lot of knee, hip, back pain can be caused by your feet.
Also of course just starting out and spending hours skating is not the way to prepare your body for any physical activity. Try 30 minutes three times a week for a month then add 5-10 minutes extra every week.
Congrats on starting up and taking better care of yourself!

Now that I think of it, stop doing 3-4 hours first, and see if the pain persists while skating 30 minutes x 3 week.
Good luck.